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常见问题（FAQ）

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Who manages the Inca Trail?

The Inca Trail is part of the Peruvian National Heritage so access and trekking
conditions are established and controlled by the Ministry of Culture Cusco.
They give the rights to access the site (see also Regulations). The Ministry of Culture Cusco manages also the camping sites. They are responsible for the maintenance of the path and the campsites and toilet facilities which are in the middle of nowhere.

What are the characteristics of the hiking trail and campsites?

The Inca trail is a stone path built by the Incas 500 years ago to link their settlements disseminated all over the Tawantisuyo empire. This section, a protected archeological site open for tourism, goes from km 82 to Machu Picchu. It is located in the middle of the Andes and it is not accessible by car or any means of transportation. There is no electricity or water or convenient toilet infrastructure along the trail and/or in the campsites. There is no cellular network neither. Toilet facilities on campsites are not in good conditions, so most trekkers just prefer nature. Unfortunately, this is not agencies responsibility and there is nothing we can do about it.

What departure dates do you offer?

We offer departures everyday. In the availability calendar we indicate available spaces for each day. The calendar also allows you to chose the departure date of your trek.

What is the duration of the Trek?

The Inca Trail connects Cuzco city to the Citadel of Machu Picchu. The Trek
can begin a few miles outside the city (4-day
Trek) or, for less athletic persons or for those in a hurry, it can begin
at an intermediate spot (2-day Trek).
Notice that the Inca Trail can be made in one way only, from Cuzco to Machu
Picchu. The return is always motorized, by train and bus.

Who will make the Trek with me?

Obviously, the trek is made by groups (see the
distribution), that is why you will join another group of trekkers. Since
it is impossible to know in advance (and for confidentiality reasons) who will
be part of your group, it is impossible to answer this question precisely. In
general, they are trekkers from different nationalities and different ages.
The Ministry imposes strict rules to the
agencies, such as a limit of 40 persons per group, including at most 16 trekkers
and at least 2 guides; the rest is reserved for assistance crew (porters, cooks).
In fact, we can say that it is a small group of maximum 16 tourists. Notice
that whenever it is possible (tourists without a fixed departure date, etc)
we try to group in a same trek people of the same nationality and age.

What is the best period to make the Trek?

Peru is a very large country with a variety of weathers that is why it is very
difficult to define one best period to visit many places. Nevertheless, we can
consider that the best season is from June to September. For the Inca Trail,
the hottest season is from November to March but it is also the rainy season.
We think it is better to have a cold but sunny trek than a warm but rainy one.
This is why we recommend doing it from May to October. Please, notice that the
Trail is open every day of the year except in February when it is closed for
maintenance. For further information, we invite you to visit our weather
page.

Is the Inca Trail open all year round?

It is open 7 days per week, every day of the month, including holidays; but
it is closed in February because the Ministry prefers this month to do maintenance.
It is the less visited month because of the rain.

I have heard about a "local" train, can I take it?

Yes, there is a "local" train between Cuzco and Aguas Calientes but
the government has decided that it is only for Peruvians and Residents and they have
to show a Peruvian ID. Tourists cannot take it.

Can I make the Trek by myself?

No. Trekkers can only access the Inca Trail accompanied by guides authorized
by the Ministry. Only some agencies including us (approximately 150 of over
35,000 travel agencies in Peru) are authorized to access the site.

What to do with my luggage during the Trek?

Most of the places where you might stay (hotel, hostal) offer to guard your
luggage for free during the Trek. But we can also gladly do it; just bring your
luggage to our Agency the day before the Trek.

Can I bring my mountain bike?

The ministerial regulation is very clear and unavoidable: no mechanical means are authorized.

Do you practice social responsibility?

The purpose of ethical commerce is, let's remember, that a commercial activity
should respect social conditions (rights, guarantees for employees, decent salaries,
etc) and environmental conditions (respect and protection of the environment,
of sites, of fauna and flora). Since this is a very important goal, we are proud
to claim that we respect our employees in general and our porters in particular
(because they are numerous and they certainly do the most difficult job). We
work with the same porters since the beginning, which is a guarantee for them,
for us and for our customers. We don't choose porters depending on their availability
(many of them are independent) because we have ours. Their salary is higher
than the local and national average salary and it includes (which is sadly rare
in Peru) a life insurance and a health insurance. Any misconduct or abuse from our company
can (and must) be denounced to Peruvian authorities. At the end of the Trek
we give trekkers a form to fill. Regarding the respect of the environment, we
can mention for example that for the Trek we carry different garbage bags and
we classify organic and inorganic waste, we carry all waste for 4 days in order to throw it away after the Trek, etc.
To conclude, the answer is yes, not because we need to do it, but because of
our own conviction and ethics.